RSS affiliate urges Union Agri Minister not to attend MNC's

An RSS affiliate today cautioned the government from keeping any engagement with the body of multi-national seed producers, alleging they may "hijack the food security" of the country.
In a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), which is affiliated with RSS, asked him not to attend a conference by association of multinational Agri companies under aegis of Federation of Indian Seed Industry (FISI) tomorrow.
"It is important to keep this association of MNCs far from the Ministry so that they are not able to influence the policy of the government.
"Based on their agenda, it is very clear that the policy advocacy and the lobbying from them will be anti-national and anti-farmers. If they are allowed, they would like to hijack the food security which is connected to the seed security of India," SJM national co-convener Ashwani Mahajan said.

He also told the minister that association of MNC seed producers is holding a conference tomorrow and has invited him and officials of his Ministry including ICAR.
"We strongly believe that such conferences organised by an association of MNCs to propagate anti-farmer policies in India, shall not be attended by anybody in the government," SJM wrote to Singh.
Mahajan also lauded the minister for taking "right steps" in regulating "exorbitant" trait value collection in Bt cotton seeds by Monsanto and stopping its monopoly.
"We are still awaiting for the final outcome on the action you initiated in 'trait licensing and guidelines for royalty fixation' of GM traits," he said.